Rising rapper/songwriter KS0UL caught our ears with his new project The Skins We Wear, a 9-track body of work that explores his growth in an ever-changing environment. The project boasts a plethora of soundscapes and musical styles ranging from soul/boombap to emo-trap to alternative pop/rock to punk-inspired rap.
“UNDERDOG” is a smooth track that has a crisp texture and solid bounce. The production is reminiscent of 2000s Neptunes with its lush pads, rich guitar plucks and snapping drum grooves. KSOUL sure sounds comfortable with his carefree flow and no-frills style ripe with fun and joyful lyrics with a touch of bravado. “DO OR DIE” is a rousing cinematic track made up of rumbling drum breaks with energetic drum fills peppered by a thick bassline and sizzling synth chords. KS0UL gets into the zone with some engaging wordplay and quips as he asserts himself with lines like “23 when I am on the mic, no Rodman, Pippen, popping regardless/ To achieve the impossible had to phase through the obstacles like vision I” and even throws in a nonchalant melodic hook for the fun of it. “FIND NEMO” starts off with a whistle sample before the 808 drum groove comes into play and the track sure raises the ante with it’s party aesthetic and speaker-knocking energy. Again, KS0UL stays in his pocket with a fun-filled lyrical style as he proclaims “All that fake shit, it will never last/Time short, too fast can’t waste it/It’s like Kobe in the clutch can’t break me/Your favourite rapper’s nightmare, I’m Jason” before breaking down further on the short breaks between the verses.

 

On the guitar-driven “LUVSICK”, he blends afrobeats with Spanish sensibilities and brings something different with his smooth melodic chorus. The track sees him detailing his experience with a certain lady whom he can’t get enough of. This is followed by “FLOOR IT”, a dance-infused jam made up of thumping 4-to-the-floor drums with woozy keys and rich guitar plucks and a retro melodic vocal sample. “AGAINST THE WALL” is pretty much an alternative rock song with 90s pop aesthetics. From the layered guitar arrangement, thumping drums and moody textures to KS0UL’s surprisingly dope melodic performance. The icing on the cake is the way he seamlessly blends rap with the upbeat pop/rock melodies. On “ARKHAM ASYLUM”, KS0UL once again switches up with a punk-inspired track that is cinematic and ominous. His flow once again is different and he easily adapts to the off-kilter grooves and out-the-box musical style.

 

The project closes out with “WARZONE” and “BE U”, two tracks that showcase the rapper’s versatility and knack for dynamic and engaging soundscapes. “WARZONE”  is a reflective and soulful track that is composed of a sombre pad, warm textures and punchy drums peppered by KS0UL’s introspective raps about the struggles of a young black man in a white man’s world while “BE U”, an emo-trap track continues the introspective theme and KS0UL reminds us that he will always stay true to himself regardless of what people think or say.

 

Overall, The Skins We Wear, offers listeners a wide variety of sounds to choose from and it might be hard for some to stomach the jump from hip-hop to alternative rock or punk but ultimately lovers of good music would appreciate the creativity and intense work that goes into making a versatile project such as this.

Stream The Skins We Wear on all DSPs here.

Keep up with KS0UL | Instagram

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